RE’EH
Yeshaya 54:11–55:5
Zion’s Past and Future

This week’s Haftarah directs its focus towards Zion and describes its illustrious future in the era of Mashiach. Yeshaya Hanavi shared here the next phase of the Jewish people’s redemption. Although Hashem will have consoled them and returned them to their homeland, the inhabitants of Zion-Yerushalayim will refuse to accept console.

Zion is Not Consoled

Yeshaya addressed this issue and said in Hashem’s name, “You poor, stormy city who is not comforted; behold I will pave your floors with diamonds and set your foundation in sapphire stones.” (54:11) For close to two thousand years Zion has been laying in ruins, deprived of its previous glory. It had been the center of the world, the most beautiful sight in the world. But it lost all its majesty and dignity for seemingly endless years. In place of its previous splendor, it consistently faced shame, disdain, and degradation. Zion will, therefore, entreat Hashem to compensate it for all its forlorn years.

Yeshaya told the Jewish people that Hashem will respond and inform Zion that He will restore its original glory and increase it tenfold. At the appropriate time, Hashem will pledge to establish Zion so desirable that its floors will consist of sparkling diamonds and its foundation will consist of sapphire stones. In addition to transcending all existing physical structures, every moment spent in its midst will be an unforgettable experience. Its fame will spread throughout the world, and its glory and splendor will attract all world nations.

Malbim explains the prophet’s symbolism here of diamonds and sapphire stones. He notes that those specific jewels represented the tribes of Yehuda and Yissachar when worn on the High Priest’s breastplate. His breastplate displayed twelve precious stones that reflected the respective role of each tribe in the collective Jewish nation. The diamond reflected Yehuda’s quality of rulership and the sapphire stone reflected Yissachar’s commitment to Torah diligence. In effect, Hashem promised to lay Zion’s foundation through diligent Torah study and to beautify Zion through Mashiach’s reign, the epitome of leadership. (Malbim to Yeshaya 54:12)

Studying Torah Directly from Hashem

Yeshaya then added a unique dimension to the upcoming era and stated, “All your children will be students of Hashem, and much peace will be amongst them.” (54:13) Yeshaya informed the people that in the future, clarity of Torah knowledge will be so tangible and accessible that all Zion’s scholars will become Hashem’s students. Chazal expound on this and explain that until the era of Mashiach, the Jewish people study Torah transmitted from teacher to student. Since this system relies on the limited intellectual capacity of a human being, it produces a limited transmittal of Torah knowledge that gives rise to forgetfulness. However, in Mashiach’s times every person in Zion will be privileged to study Torah from its original source, Hashem, who will endow each of them with profound insight and knowledge, thereby producing total retention of every subject they study, with enormous clarity. (Yalkut Shimoni, Yeshaya 479)

World Nations’ Transformation

Yeshaya then projected his prophetic vision towards the transformation of future world nations and stated, “All who are thirsty, go to the water…and obtain without pay, wine and milk.” (55:1) Chazal interpret the reference of water to Torah knowledge and of wine and milk to spiritual sustenance through Torah study. (Yalkut Shimoni 480)

Radak explains here that during the final phase of the world, after all the Jewish people’s enemies will be defeated, members of world nations who will remain alive will recognize Hashem’s absolute supremacy, and they will flock to Zion to learn His compassionate attributes through which He conducts all world affairs. Radak adds that all those remaining will ultimately recognize that Torah knowledge and its observance are the sole factors that maintain world existence, and they will thirst to study Hashem’s boundless intellect. They will progress from there and experience the joy of Torah study and will consider Torah knowledge as their personal source of nourishment and growth. (Radak to Yeshaya 55:1)

Ramchal describes this incredible transformation and states that during the world’s final phase, world nations will become sanctified through their submission to Hashem’s majesty. After that, they will dedicate themselves to Hashem’s sovereignty and attain a level of sanctity greater than that of the Jewish people presently! (Ma’amar Hachachmah 3)

Greater Than Shlomo; Close to Moshe

However, this development will obviously require an exceptional individual capable of disseminating this knowledge to the world. To this end, Yeshaya informed the Jewish people in Hashem’s name, “Behold I have appointed him [as] a witness [attester of truth] to the nations; a director for them.” Malbim and Metzudos (ad loc) explain these words to refer to Hashem’s designating Mashiach for the task of enlightening the world of the Torah’s truths.

Indeed, Rambam writes, “The future king of Israel, a scion of Dovid Hamelech, will have greater intellectual capacity than that of Shlomo Hamelech and will be close to Moshe Rabbeinu’s level of prophecy. He will therefore teach the Jewish nation and show them Hashem’s path, and all the nations will come to learn from him.” (Rambam Hilchos Teshuvah 9:2) This rare combination of Divine inspiration close to that of our greatest prophet together with the greatest intellectual human capacity ever, will yield the ultimate fulfillment of Yeshaya’s earlier prophecy wherein he stated, “From Zion will go forth Torah and Hashem’s [prophetic] word from Yerushalayim.” (Yeshaya 2:3)

Zion’s Inspiring Environs

This week’s Torah portion alludes to Zion’s previous impact on every Jewish family. The Torah obligates one to tithe one’s grain and fruit and to bring that produce or its equivalent value to Yerushalayim. The Torah explains the reason for this and states, “You shall eat in Hashem’s presence…so that you shall learn to revere Hashem all of the days.” (Devarim 14:23) Chazal state regarding this, “Great is the eating of the tithed portions because it brings to Torah study.” (Sifrei ad loc)

The Talmud relates that in earlier times Yerushalayim served as the focal point of Torah study, in fulfillment of the verse, “For Torah will extend from Zion…” Tosfos explains that when one experienced the supreme sanctity that permeated Zion’s environs and in addition, observed the priests’ preoccupation in Temple Service, he would devote his extended stay in Zion to increasing his reverence of Hashem and to diligent Torah study. (Bava Basra 21a, Tosfos ad loc) Sefer Hachinuch explains that through one’s stay in Zion’s environs until he finished eating all his tithings, he would amass ample Torah knowledge to direct and inspire his family back home throughout that year. (Sefer Hachinuch 360)

Zion Restored Tenfold

We now appreciate the depth of Zion’s reservation and hesitation. It was accustomed to being the focal point of Hashem’s glory. In earlier times, it served as the greatest source of spiritual inspiration. Its environs were permeated with sanctity and spirituality that inspired members of every Jewish family to totally dedicate themselves to Hashem and to diligent Torah study. But, after almost two thousand years of neglect, even after the ingathering of the exiles to Eretz Yisroel, Zion will have not have returned to its prime.

Hashem therefore sent Yeshaya to address the future Zion and to record in his prophecy that Hashem will reestablish Zion as the center of Torah knowledge, but this time, the Torah will be appreciated in untold proportions, by all. He pledged to set its foundation with sapphire stones – solid Torah knowledge – and to lay its floors with diamonds – Mashiach’s teachings. Indeed, Hashem will restore Zion to its previous glory and reestablish it as the supreme Torah center. But, to compensate for its thousands of years of neglect, He will enhance its previous glory in untold measures. Every Jewish person who enters its gates will be infused with a great thirst for deep Torah insights. Every word, every thought, every revelation will be sweeter than tasty wine and will thoroughly nourish his soul. In addition, all remaining members of world nations will recognize Hashem’s sovereignty and will thirst for Torah knowledge as their necessity for life. After Hashem will share this heartwarming message with Zion it will be fully comforted and consoled for its past.

May we merit to appreciate Zion’s reservation and to experience its ultimate console, soon.